TOKYO -
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan marks 81st anniv. of WWII end, PM's address in focus
TOKYO - Japan on Saturday marks the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with a memorial to mourn the war dead set to be held in Tokyo with around 4,300 attendees, and eyes on how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will address Japan's wartime role.
Along with 3,700 bereaved family members, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Takaichi are also expected to take part in the government-sponsored ceremony to mourn the approximately 2.3 million military personnel and about 800,000 civilians who died in the war that ended in 1945.
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Japan PM Takaichi sends offering to Yasukuni shrine on WWII anniv.
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, as Japan marks the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II.
Sources have said Takaichi, a conservative, is likely to refrain from visiting the war-linked shrine on the war anniversary. The shrine honors Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals and has been a source of diplomatic friction with China and South Korea that suffered under Japan's wartime aggression.
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Japan defense chief Koizumi visits Yasukuni shrine on WWII anniv.
TOKYO - Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, the 81st anniversary of the country's defeat in World War II.
The Shinto shrine honors convicted war criminals along with the war dead and is viewed as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by Asian neighbors.
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Flooding in Chiba Pref. leaves at least 8 dead, paralyzes transportation
TOKYO - At least eight people died as heavy rain pounded eastern Japan on Thursday and early Friday, with the weather agency issuing the highest downpour warning of Level 5 in more than one-third of the municipalities in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo.
The cities of Chiba and Ichikawa, among other municipalities, began urging citizens to immediately take safety measures on Thursday evening, while road flooding occurred across the prefecture, immobilizing cars and causing traffic jams.
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Volcanic alert level raised for Mt. Aso in Kumamoto, no links to July quake
TOKYO - Japan's weather agency on Friday raised the volcanic alert level for Mt. Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture to 3 on a scale of 5, calling for entry restrictions to the mountain while saying there is nothing to indicate the heightened activity is related to a recent powerful quake that rattled the prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency cited intensifying volcanic tremors seen from around Wednesday and a sharp rise in volcanic gas emissions, which exceeded 2,000 tons per day based on a field survey on Friday, as the reason for raising the alert from level 2. Level 2 restricts access around the crater.
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Topix ends at record high after U.S. price data
TOKYO - The Topix index ended at a record high for the third consecutive trading day on Friday as the release of a weaker-than-expected U.S. producer price index for July further eased inflation concerns.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 405.21 points, or 0.59 percent, from Thursday at 68,713.80. The broader Topix index finished 21.16 points, or 0.51 percent, higher at 4,197.20.
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Japan city pleased with impact of 2-hour guideline on screen use
NAGOYA - A central Japan city that drew attention for urging residents to limit smartphone and game console use to two hours a day has found that about 5 percent of people who knew about the ordinance have reduced their usage, with its mayor declaring himself pleased that it has had at least some impact.
In a survey on the impact of the measure introduced by Toyoake in Aichi Prefecture last October, 86 of the 1,670 respondents who were aware of the ordinance, or 5.1 percent, said their usage time had decreased.
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Japan's defense minister to visit Australia, India
TOKYO - Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will visit Australia and India next week for talks with his counterparts, aiming to strengthen security cooperation including joint development of defense equipment, the Defense Ministry said Friday.
After arriving in Canberra on Tuesday, he will hold talks with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on the joint development of a new vessel based on Japan's advanced Mogami-class frigate.
